Tire rim



- J y ,1930. w.*|-|. BAIRDET AL 1,769,097

TIRE RIM FiledJan. 28, 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jul 1, 1930 i it I j v 1 W TAT FATENT F Q i-Y L AM BAIRD Am THOMAS o. BAIRD, or GRANDVIEW, WASHINGTON i i rmn RIM .ipplication filed January 28, 1929. SeriaLNo. 335,646.

This invention relates to tire rims and has It is well known that a tire casing (not as one of its object'sto provide a rim that shown).has a fixed internal diameter, and will givefull protection to a tire ,and its that this diameter is such that it will fit tube and also protect the valve stem from comfortably upon the base f the rim 1 wear. I I adjacent to the side-walls 3 and that it ree 5 Another object of the inventionisto pro quires considerable effort-and. forcible vide a rim that (will easily receive; a tire stretchingof the casings in small tires, and i without danger ofipuncturingthe tube and that'it is almostimp ossible in large tires thatiwill prevent the flap from being disto force a casingover the side-walls of the lodged while assemblingthe tire on the rim rim 'to. remove or replace the tire thereon with its attendant liabilityof subsequently if the'ri'm is solid. i i I pinching the tube after assembly. It is also well known that where a rim A further object of the invention is to is broken at a single place that the-rimre-. provide arimthat may be readily collapsed quires considerable effort and manipulation 15 when the tire is deflated, for removal of the both to break the joint and to remove the tire, and that cannot collapse as long as rim from the tire, particularly'when the tire pressure exists from the tire, orwhile it is has been on the rim a certain lengthof time on the wheel. when it becomes adhered thereto adding A further objectof the invention is to progreaterjdifficulties against its removal.

7 2o vide a rim that needs no toolsto place or From the above itis now obvious that to 2o no loose parts, and that is quicker and easier is impracticable, the rim herewith shown is so Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of afragment v1, and thesesections-are joined together at l 3 in placeitherein;

4 the rim assembly which consists of .a chan- This collapsible section 5 is provided with 5 engaging a tire (not shown).

remove a tire. and hence thatfwill always render the removalor replacement of a tire. keep its shape. an easy matterit is necessary that the cas;

. A further object of the invention to ing be capable of expansion or that the rim provide a rim that is self locking, that has. be capable of contraction, and as 'tliefirst to change tires on. y devised for the Purpose of receiving the tire With these and other objects in .viewref by contraction. W erence is had to the accompanying drawings The rim consists of two major'sections- 4 in which Y and acollapsible section5, as shown in Fig.

0 of a rim showing its construction; their ends with hinges 6', 6 and 6 prefer- Fig.2 is a plan view, looking toward the ably formed integral'with' the rim sections center of its circle of a fragment 'ofa rim for the purpose; that there will be no loose enlarged, showing the. position of the. guard parts that might become lost thereby render? I j ing the rim unfit for user Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a Byagain referring to Fig. l the fact will fragment of a rim showing the relative pobe noted that the major sections 4 are joined sitioning of the wings of the guard, and the together at their upper ends 7 in a manner side walls, when the rim is expanded,,and to permit the rim to contract from this point, so Fig. 4 is a perspective view of theguard, and thatthese major sections constitute two in a reverse position to that shown in Fig. 2.. thirds or more of the" complete rim, and Having reference tothe drawings like nuthat the collapsible section 5 completes the .meralsrefer to like-parts throughout the rimand is therefore of a length less than several views, and the numeral 1 reit'ers'to one third of the circumference of the circle."

nel section opening outwardQand containing a central hinge 8 which is adapted tomove j V afiat base2with the edges turned perpendicin a direction opposite to thehinges 6, 6

ular to thebase and given an outward roll and 6 above mentioned, and that the side-' to provide side-walls 3. for the purpose of walls may not interfere with this movement,

' theyare notched, as at 9, to permit the collapsible section to fold within the circle, i. e.

inside the rim.

It is now obvious that the collapsible section shall be of suflicient length over all as tocontract'the whole rim sufficiently to enable it to completely release the casing of the tire and hence that this section may be less than'onethird of the total circumference.

The notches mentioned as occurring in the side-walls of the collapsible section have the simplest form of mutilation in the nature of a straight out in a diagonal line in each" j adjacent segment and diverging Outward from a point on each side'of the center of the hinge 8, and this provides a wedge shaped notchl9 the sides 10 of which come together when the, collapsible section 5 is folded into the rim, and thus provides a Q stop to controlthe movement of this section in this direction. ,7

' It is obvious that this notch 9 must be closed to prevent the the blowing out at thispoint and'for the purpose of closing the notch a guard 11, is provided which is mounted in the concavity of the rim and which consists of a platelQ hinged to the base 2 and seated in a depression 13 formed in the base of the rim so that the top of this 7 plate is levelwitli the corresponding surfaceof the: remainder of the rim,.to present a smooth surface to prevent chafing of the inner tube, and the end 14 of this plate opposite thehinged end 15 is extendedto lap s over the hinge andjoint, to seat in a smaller Lil furthernoted that by virtue ofthe wedge an are, about thi's barasa center, and in.

such a manner as to raise or lower the wings outward from or into the wedge shaped notch 9 of the side-walls 8, and it will be shape of the notch that the act of folding the collapsible section will close the opposite edges of the notches together thereby automatically forcing the wings out of the notches, the guard then assuming the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1,

Where it will remainuntil the tire is placed 7 on the rim for assembly.

It. is further obvious that-with the tire on theriin that as the rim is expanded to fit the casing, the casing, acting in conjunction with the moving collapsible section, will au- 1 tomatically restore the guard 11 to its normal position of closing the notches the guard anticipating the engagement of the tire by the section, and it is further obvious that with the rim expanded to its full size that upon inflation of the tire it will be impossible to move the guard from its seat in the notches, against the pressure of the tire,

and therefore that the rim may be consid- 1 ered as'bemg air locked into a rigid whole;

and further that when the rim is placed on the wheel thatvthere can be no possibility of therim accidentally contracting.-

As tires consisting of.tubes and casings, and the attendant'wheels using such tires are old in the art, it is deemed unnecessary that they be illustrated andihence drawings of these parts are omitted.

In usev and to remove adeflated tire the collapsible section "is placed toward the ground, or some solid object, and the the and rim is then struck sharply against the object to overcome the spring ofthe rim whenthe collapsible section will be folded into the rim and the guard automatically removed from the notches, as the section recedes, the guard operating with less movementthan the parent segment due to their relative lengths, when the casing may be re leased therefrom. v

The rim is now lifted out oflthe casing and this latter will be repaired or replaced and'when the tire is again upon the rim and the tire flap placed, pressure of the foot upon the apex of the folded section will expand and fit the rim into the tire, when upon inflation, the rim willbe locked into the assembled position in the manner above explained.

By this means and arrangement of the parts it is obvious that tools are unnecessary for the removal or replacement of the tire and that without the use of tools the danger of pinching the inner tube is entirely removed, and the danger of'creating a wrinkle in the flap which might eventually chafe the inner tube and cause it to leak,'is also removed. 7

Having thus described our invention, we claim 7 A collapsible rim having side-walls forming a channel section and consisting of two major sections hingedly united, and a third section hingedly attached to the major sections to complete the circle, said third section comprising a pair of members centrally and hingedly united and provided with "wedge shaped notches in the side-walls, at

the hinge joint, to fold inward and to reduce the circumference of said rim, a depression formed in the channel in one of said members adjacent the hinge joint, a guard hingedly attached to and movable with one of said members to'register with and normally seat in said depression, said guard having wedge shaped wings adapted to seat in said notches, said wings being adapted for automatic movement into and out of engagement with the notches by virtue of its Wedge shape and to be automatically secured in said notches upon the inflation of v the tire. w h t In testimony whereof 'we aflix our signatures. t t I WILLIAM H, BAIRD. I THOMAS O. BAIRD. 

